Letter to the editor: The beauty of Lone Tree Canyon

Posted: Wednesday, Feb 13th, 2013By David Eddington, Torrington

I was shocked on my last trip to Lone Tree Canyon when I saw signs in the canyon that threaten anyone who trespassed off the road into the bottom of the canyon. Surveillance cameras will be watching, and you trespass at your own risk.

I do not know who the person is who put up the signs and threatens to lock the entrance to the beautiful canyon. Neither can I imagine anyone being the type of person that would prevent people from access to the canyon.

I have been going to Lone Tree for 80 years and still go several times a year just to walk the trails and see the beautiful rock formations. Just this past summer, we took our grandchildren and great grandchildren so they could hike the canyon draws and take photos of the beauty of the canyon.

I remember our Boy Scout camps as a youth, picking wild grapes, currants and choke cherries. Boy Scouts and other youth groups still camp in the canyon, and now the new owner of a small part of the actual canyon wants to prevent public access.

The Dowers family has welcomed people since the mid 1930s to camping and picnic areas of the canyon, even putting picnic tables and privies with the help of the Hawk Springs community.

They still welcome visitors to their home in the canyon and help visitors with sightseeing. Churches have performed weddings and baptisms in recent years. One of the first things you see is how clean visitors have left the premises.

I ask the people of Goshen County to do everything possible to retain access to the Jewel of Goshen County.